Ladder.



, larly as it is shown in Figs. l, 2

entran s'rrrrus rA'rENT orties. 'I

YOSHIKAZU OKAIVIIYA, OF YORK, N. Y.

LADDER. incassaspecificati@ of Lesers Patent. 'Patented sept. 1, 19114..

u, Applicatonled December 1, 1911. -Serial No. 663,193.

y is a specification.

This device although intended as aninr provement 1n step ladders, or laddersv 1ntended .for household' use is so important thatV ladders for general use if constructedv with these improvements will be found very desirable. i

Although though more portable than the ordinary ladder` because of its peculiar shape, my

ii' light construction and al ladder does not sacrifice any ofA the stabil ity or usefulness ioundin the more 'conimon ladders, in fact the efliciency is added too, because vo the ease lwith which the device may be vchanged. rorrrone place to another,

even surface andthe quickly vdetachable .back brace, which is intended' to support the ladder atmid-height.- .These and other advantages as Well as the means for ob.-

taining them will be set forth as thepspecification progresses. y

The following is what I consider thebest means of carrying out this invention.

The accompanying drawings form apart of this specification, in-which:

Figure l shows my device in a closed con# dition. Fig. 2 shows the device open, and the fr? ture discloses the means for' connecting the cross-bars or rungs, also the depth of the groove. Fig. 3 shows a portion of one of the side rails this figure is in side lelewation and showsthe width of the groove. Fig. 4: shows the back' brace closed. Fig.v 5- shows aladder supported by the-back brace and, Fig. 6 shows the back brace open ready to be applied. Fig.

7 shows in elevationv and on a smaller scale a modified iorm of' back brace in whichthe lower end of the legs are spread.

Similar reference numerals'indicate like parts in all the figures where they appear.

In describing my invention, I will first describe the ladder proper and particuand 3, and will later describe the means vfor supportingv it, the means which is shown in Figs. Ll, 5, and 6.

At l, and 2 I have shown the side'rails.

its stability'while resting on an 1in-- `block 4.

.neotod in a manner exactly similarto of a vladder each of which isintended' to have its lower end rest upon the ground or any other firm support, and have its'rnid- 'length steadied and supported by means to be later described. The' top may rest against la wal-l,ledge, or coping lkefan' ordinaryy ladder, ifA the upper halfof the lad'- der is to be used.

`At the, lower end of the'bar 1, I have outaway a portion ot' the inner'end oj'the bar so as to produce the angle 3, and auth@ upper end of the bar'l, I have-addedl"a` bloei:H

el. equal infwidth andfthickness totli'e bar 2 and I have beveled the lowerend of this block, 4. The upper end oifthe bar 2 is beveled at 5, and a block 6 beveled at '7 is secured to the lower end of 'this bar. bolts 8 and pins 9 secure the. blocks fljfand 6 in position, and I have4 so proportioned the parts and the lengths of the blocks je and `6, that when the ladder is closed asfisy shown in Fig. 1V the angled or beveled end X3, of 'the bar l will rest upon the :surface 7,

and the beveled upper end 5 of the bar 2 will ysupp-ort the beveled lower end of the In this way, when lthe ladder is closed it presents the appearance of two straight'and smooth bars 'of a length slightly longer than the length of either vof the bars 1 or 2. Each of the bars l and 2 lis provided with a longitudinal groove 1'0,

and a series of transverse holes, spaced equal distances apart are produced in the walls of the grooves 10.

I provide a plurality of rungs, which may be flat for their full length, and which should be of a thickness equal to the width "of the vgroove 10. Each of thserungs 1l has its ends rounded, and each is' provided with a'perforation adjacent to eaclrround ed end. A pin l2 passes throughthe holes in the side lwalls of the grooves l0, and

throughthe perforation in one end of the rung i1,.securing the rung in pivotal connection with the side bars l and 2.

I have before mentioned that I provide a plurality 'oi the rungs 11, and each is conalready described. In this way Iproduce a ladder iioldable in a manner sometimes called a single cargate fold. rI Ilie pins 11', ot' which. I provide two for each rung 1l may be of wood, but I prefer-.that metal pins or bolts be used so war or break a new perfect one -may be substituted therefor. The brace or support The thatthat, shoulda rung is also provided With two uprights or bars 12, and 13, but it is not my intention to groove these bars.'l I have connected the bars 12 and 13 together by means of two cross-pieces 14; and 15, Which Iare joined to the bars 12 and 13 by means of the bolts 16,

which also serve as pivots'. This back-brace may also fold as is s hoWn in Fig. 4, though Iv have taken no pains to make the sides when folded, a smooth continuous piece.

To the outside, though at the upper end of each of the bars 12 and 13 I have secured a metallic Y Aor crotch member 17, and at about mid-height of each of the bars 1,2, and 13 I have pivotally connected a rigid though foldable metallic brace 18. This brace 18 is vformed in four parts all vhingedly'ronnected in series for a purpose that Will. ap# pear later.

In operation the ladder is unfolded by an outward pull on vthe bar 1, while the lower' end of the bar 2 is resting on a floor or other support.l YVhen the ldwer end of the bar 1 is also resting upon the supportingsurface the brace or support may be'attached, by first being unfolded and' then having its metallic Y or crotch members engage with the screws'or studs 19 and 20. When the ladder is erected and assumes the desirable angle, onev of the notches 21, in the brace 1S may be engaged upon the screws 22, and should one or more sections of the brace 1S extend beyond and be not 'supported by a screw 22, they Will turnupon the hinge 23 into a vertical position out of the Way of the operator. l

It is obvious that a' rigid or flexible brace .may be used as a substitute for the notched u v rflfliecombination with alfolding ladder of a 4foldable vprop therefor comprising ay plurality' of longitudinal members 12 and 13 each pivotally connected to cross bars let and 15 and one of said pivots being slidable in one of said cross bars, 'a Y shaped 4engaging member at one end of each'said longitudinal member, and :ip .serrated inem ber pivoted at approximately mid-length of each said longitudinal member said serrated members, being secticnally foldable' as and for the purpose set forth. f

Signed at New" York city N. Y. this 15 day of Nov. 1911,l in the presence of two Witnesses.

Yosi-IIKAZU OKAMIYA.

lVitnesses G. E. STERRETTE, ARTHUR PHnLrs-MARR. l 

